Michael Reeves
It may be relative early days in the summer but it already feels like the Swans are resigned to losing Joel Piroe this summer with Sky Sports already reporting unnamed interest from Premier League clubs.
On these pages just a week ago we talked about how the Premier League may beckon for Joel and referenced clubs who could be interested – Nottingham Forest and the three promoted teams as some potential suitors for the striker who has led the way in SA1 for the last two years.
Whether any of those clubs are in amongst those that Sky are reporting are interested remains to be seen but it is the first signs that Piroe really is on his way with there being little doubt that his agent will be involved in those discussions with the press with a view to cashing in on the player’s worth which is certainly at an all time high at the moment.
2 unnamed PL clubs are interested in #Swansea striker Joel Piroe, I’m told.
Piroe cost £1.5m when he joined from PSV Eindhoven 2yrs ago, and Swans will allow him to leave if their valuation is met.
He scored 24 goals in his first season, and has managed 20 again this season.
— Rob Dorsett (@RobDorsettSky) June 6, 2023
The report also says that the Swans will be prepared to let Piroe leave should our valuation on the player be met. Last week we speculated that this could be around £8m but reports yesterday were talking about figures way beyond that. It is always difficult to put a value on any player but whilst the goals of Piroe have one value, the 12 months left on his contract could dictate another one.
That said strikers who knock in 20 goals a season are not plentiful in supply and we know that our current ownership group do not have a track record that suggests players would leave on the cheap. That said we urge the position to be the same as it is for everything that we need to get done this season and that is a position that says it needs to be done quickly so we can move on.
Right now I cannot see any position where Joel Piroe is a Swansea City player beyond this summer transfer window and, based on his two years here, he does deserve a Premier League chance and it is good to hear that there is interest at that level even if I would love to see the player stay.
So the question comes back to who could be interested. As referenced above and before the Forest suggestion is a logical one and suggested in several quarters. Steve Cooper was here when Piroe was on his way to Swansea so will be aware of the player and his abilities and has a second season of Premier League football secured at the City Ground.
Of the promoted clubs I would say that Sheffield United are the most likely of the three to make a move whilst i would not even rule out a move to someone like Everton who desperately need extra firepower within their squad if they are to avoid a third successive battle against relegation.
It has been suggested that there are more than two clubs tracking the current position with Piroe and the early release of the news could force some of those into action as well – the fear of missing out can have some very strange impacts on how the transfer market works.
The summer story of Joel Piroe is going to continue but it does appear like its likely ending point will be the Premier League.
